Stranded NASA Astronaut on the ISS Takes a Spacewalk, With Another Planned
NASA astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore certainly didn’t think they’d be on the International Space Station after being away from Earth for so long in June. In fact, they were initially expected to stay for eight days. And now, after their return plan, they will return to Earth in late March. But in mid-January, at least one of them must step outside – and the other plans to do so. Williams teamed up with astronaut Nick Hague on the spacewalk January 16Williams and Wilmore are both preparing for a spacewalk together on January 30
NASA astronaut Suni Williams was seen outside the International Space Station during a spacewalk on January 16, 2025.
NASA said that during the Jan. 16 spacewalk, Williams and Hague replaced the gyroscope assembly that helped maintain the orbiting outpost’s orientation. This is The Hague’s fourth voyage and Williams’ eighth. The astronauts also installed a patch to cover a damaged light filter area on the Neutron Star Interior Pattern Explorer X-ray telescope, replaced a reflector device on an international docking adapter, and inspected areas that Astronauts will use for future Alpha and Connector Tools Magnetic Spectrometer Maintenance.
During the final six and a half hours of the Jan. 30 spacewalk, which will begin at 8 a.m. ET, Williams and Wilmore will remove radio antenna hardware and search for microorganisms outside the orbiting outpost.
Two stranded astronauts say they still have jobs to keep them busy while they miss their families.
“Ultimately we want to go home,” Williams said in a Recent press conferences. “We left our families not long ago, but we still have a lot to do here that we have to get done before we leave.”
February’s return is March
Most recently, NASA returned Williams and Wilmore to Earth from February to late March.
according to NASA press release issued on December 17. “After careful consideration, the team determined that launching Crew-10 in late March, upon completion of the Xinlong spacecraft, is the best option to meet NASA requirements and achieve the 2025 space station goals.
NASA delays and SpaceX team could complete work on mission’s new Dragon spacecraft. That new craft will launch a crew of four to the International Space Station – commander Anne McClain, commander, pilot Nichole Ayers, Japanese astronaut Takuya onishi) and Roskosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. Once the new crew is settled, Williams, Wilmore, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos astronaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will return to Earth.
But Williams and Wilmore didn’t complain about their stay.
“I love everything here,” williams says In early December. “Living in space is a lot of fun.”
The astronauts have been busy, with Williams and Wilmore assisting other ISS residents with space botany and other research, According to NASA’s ISS blog. They had more than 60 scientific studies on board for nearly six months, “Washington Post” report.
Here’s the latest you need to know about the two astronauts.
Who is an astronaut?
Wilmore, 61, and Williams, 58, are veteran astronauts as both Navy officers and former test pilots. Williams has been a NASA astronaut since 1998 and Wilmore since 2000, both with extensive space experience.
Williams is the former record holder for most space walks by a woman (seven) and most space walks by a woman (50 hours, 40 minutes), having completed the first by anyone in space in 2007. Marathon.
In 2009, Wilmore piloted Atlantis on a mission to the ISS, and in 2014 he was part of an ISS crew that used a 3D printer to create a tool – a ratchet wrench – for the first time in space. Humans have created something outside our borders.
What was their original mission in space?
Wilmore serves as commander and Williams as pilot, traveling to the ISS in a 15-foot-wide Boeing-built capsule called the Starliner. They launched on June 5 and docked with the International Space Station on June 6. NASA hopes Starliner will give the organization a new way to fly crews to and from the International Space Station. The fact that it’s being built by Boeing is another sign that NASA is starting to tilt toward human spaceflight in the private sector. During this period, the New York Times Report.
Wilmore and Williams’ ISS mission would have lasted eight days, during which they would have tested various aspects of Starliner and seen how it would operate with a human crew in space. But due to complications with Starliner, the two astronauts are still there.
What are the astronauts eating?
Food on the ISS is a priority because fresh produce must be replenished and delivered from Earth every three months. On November 23, the undirected Progress 90 supply spacecraft successfully docked at the International Space Station. However, the latest food delivery comes with an unwanted smell.
“After opening the spacecraft’s hatch, the Roscosmos Cosmonauts noticed an unexpected odor and observed droplets, prompting the crew to close the Poisk hatch to the rest of Russia,” NASA representative said In a statement posted to social media.
“The station’s air scrubbers and contaminant sensors monitored the station’s atmosphere following observations, and on Sunday, flight controllers determined that the air quality inside the station was at normal levels,” NASA said. “The crew has no concerns and as of Sunday afternoon, Crews are working to open the hatch between Poisk and Progress while all other space station operations proceed as planned.”
NASA revealed their menu includes cereal, pizza, shrimp cocktail, grilled chicken and tuna.
Smells from spacecraft aren’t the only food-related concerns of late, with some publications questioning the astronauts’ thin appearance based on recent photos.
Dr. J.D. Polk, NASA’s chief health and medical officer, officially stated that Williams and Wilmore are fine. “NASA and our partners have safely performed long-duration, multi-decade studies of the effects of space on the human body at the orbiting laboratory as we prepare for exploration further into the solar system,” Polk said. “The crew’s health is constantly monitored by dedicated flight surgeons on Earth, and they have individual diet and fitness regimes to ensure they stay healthy throughout the expedition.”
Williams says she weighs the same as when she arrived at the space station The video interview was conducted on November 12 within the international space.
What are the astronauts saying?
The astronauts remained positive about their experience. exist Live press conference Williams said in September that although their mission was scheduled to take just eight days, they had both “trained for many years.” They are eligible to remain in space for extended periods of time and help pilot the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft that will bring them home next year.
“It’s very peaceful here,” Williams said on Sept. 13, though she added they miss having their family back on Earth.
The astronauts are working on research, maintenance and data analysis during their extended stay.
“We had a great time on the ISS,” Williams said. at a press conference Held from orbit in July. “I’m not complaining. Butch isn’t complaining that we’re here for a few extra weeks.”
Wilmore and Williams answered media questions in March.
How did they get stuck in space in the first place?
this Starliner delayed in May due to problems with valves in the rocket. Engineers then had to repair the helium leak. This is all bad news for Boeing. it is Competing with SpaceXthat is Transporting astronauts to the International Space Station Since 2020, it has been possible to successfully travel to the space station.
Starliner finally launched on the Atlas V Rocket on June 5, but with it came some problems. NASA announced this Three helium leaks were identified, one of which was known before the flight, and two new ones. In addition to the leak, the crew also had to troubleshoot the control thrusters, although the craft was able to successfully dock with the ISS.
SpaceX has its share of failures. one Falcon 9 rocket exploded On Launchpad 2016. In July, the Falcon 9 rocket experienced a leak of liquid oxygen and deployed its satellite in the wrong orbit, The New York Times Report. In late August, a Falcon 9 rocket aboard its first-stage booster as it pushed into the Atlantic Ocean and on fire.
But that’s SpaceX with over 300 successes Falcon 9 flight Worthy of praise.
Stuck in Space: Timeline
- May: The Starliner launch is delayed due to problems with a valve in the rocket, which then leaks helium.
- June 5: Starliner opens with Williams and Wilmore.
- June 6: Starliner docks with ISS despite dealing with three helium leaks and failed control thrusters.
- September 6: Starliner departs the ISS and lands in New Mexico, leaving Williams and Wilmore behind.
- September 28: SpaceX Crew-9 Mission launches aboard the Dragon spacecraft with Hague and Gorbunov.
- September 29: SpaceX Dragon dock with ISS.
- Dec. 17: NASA announces it will delay launching the four-person crew from February to late March.
- March 2025: The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will return to Earth with Williams, Wilmore, Hague and Gorbunov.
